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OMAH4k: The Gateway to the West by ONElapse

A little History:
In the 19th Century, Omaha was founded along the Missouri river and was immediately recognized for being a perfect location for a transportation hub between the East and the West coast. This discovery coined Omaha the nickname “Gateway to the West”. A lot has happened since then, but Omaha still remains one of the leading hubs for people traveling from coast to coast and home of the Union Pacific railroad headquarters.

The Story of OMAH4k:
If you didn’t know what Omaha’s skyline looked like before this video, you’ll get the chance to view it’s beauty now. OMAH4k was challenging, but in the process of creating an innovative short film focusing almost entirely on a single subject, I realized the outcome was unique and worth it. I believe Omaha’s skyline was the perfect subject for a short film project. To make a one-of-a-kind video, I knew I would have to gain access to locations that most people never get the opportunity to view the city from. I also had to put a creative twist on some of the more commonly photographed views of the city skyline. I used mutli-axis motion control equipment to maneuver the camera around the scene to offer a range in composition. I took it a step further by only shooting sunsets and sunrises to show the transition of light and movement in the city. There are a lot of variables that come into play when it comes to timelapse already, but shooting sunrises and sunsets was probably the most difficult aspect. This meant I had to shoot footage for 2-3 hours at a time, and you never know how a sunset is going to turn out, or how the clouds are going to come into play, when you start setting up 2 hours prior. This amount of time and dedication, and hit-or-miss scenarios, just encouraged me more to accept my own challenge. While overcoming and capturing Omaha’s sublime skyline, I hope the OMAHA4k film can give everyone a chance to connect to Omaha’s natural beauty in some way.